Tag Archives: Hostile Operations Team

Though he ignored her and resented his neglectful father who seemed to dote on his adoptive daughter, Sophie Nash crushed on stepbrother Special Ops soldier Chase “Fiddler” Daniels during his annual visits when she was a pre-teen. A dozen years later he doesn’t recognize the just his type woman when she wakes him from a much needed sleep.

Dear old dad sent Sophie to Chase for protection against her problem. No sooner does Sophie get her tale of fear, possible murder and a threat by Androv, a threat on the HOT watch list, than Chase’s apartment explodes with them in it. They barely escape to the nearby forested area with their lives and pursuers that won’t give up since Maggie took proof and needs Chase to help her retrieve it. In Paris!

With Androv’s best assassin on their trail with knowledge of their destination and no official help from HOT, Chase is mostly on his own in protecting Sophie as the flames between them become blazes. Beautiful, innocent, self-conscious Sophie has no idea of the explosive secrets on the flash drive she stole or how far Androv would go to get it and her back in his possession where they both belonged.

Unable to officially assist or investigate or not, the Hostile Operations Team isn’t sitting on the sidelines when there’s a damsel in distress that means anything to one of their own, even if it means giving up much needed vacation. Especially if the threat is already on their radar and Androv most definitely is. Mostly because now that they know what he’s up to.

Skirting the edge of taboo may never have been this exciting as the outing fits the series mold and doesn’t stint on romance, action, intrigue or the lusciously delicious and intoxicatingly dangerous Ian Black in addition to the usual sexy alpha warriors of HOT!
Rating:4.5stars

Senator’s daughter Dr. Grace Campbell’s life changed when her father announced his bid for the presidency. A coworker’s sudden interest in walking her to her car and taking her for a drink when she hadn’t dated since her last boyfriend scampered away a year ago. Now that ex is engaged and working on her father’s campaign. Plus a stranger somehow got in the secured lot and threatened her.

As much as HOT agent Garrett “Iceman” Spencer didn’t want the babysit duty for a spoiled rich girl, he didn’t want or need the guys to know he was the epitome of a southern gentleman, steeped in genteel manners, etiquette and charm from the cradle. Neither did they need to know he had an ex-wife and a daughter. And Grace is wearing the same haughty, bratty look that drew him to his ex-wife.

Iceman and Grace aren’t happy with the plan but no doubt he’d protect her against any oncoming threat. Terrorists and governments alike want Grace’s knowledge to mix a deadly super virus that can destroy enemies or nations at will. Added complication, Ian Black is back as Grace’s family friend. Last seen with smallpox vials and terrorists, the team is wary of Ian at their backs and his allegiance.

Emotionally vulnerable Grace was a contradictory puzzle her muscled protector wanted to solve and keep, especially when danger blew through Grace’s door and she looked for Ice to lead them in a sprint to safety. The team was ready to go to work as they saw the threat to Grace as an attack on their own and proof of either a high-level conspiracy or a high-level leak that needed to be stopped now!

Flash flexed in the outing’s reflected spotlight as the go to team member while Ice’s secrets flowed like water bringing him out of the shadows. There was great chemistry and steamy sex between the muscled protector and sexy librarian in this typically fast paced read. This guilty pleasure doesn’t disappoint or skimp on action, romance or drama as HOT lives up to the name and the acronym.
Rating:4.5stars

Snipers Victoria Royal and HOT Nick ‘Brandy’ Brandon hadn’t seen each other since Victoria dropped out of Army sniper school where they flirted and competed for the number one spot. After three years they’re in the same room after she blows his mission by killing the wrong guy. Nick’s not sure if Victoria’s a mercenary or a terrorist but there were rumors and either way she’s outside the government.

Victoria’s aware of what Nick thinks of her but she has to get her sister back on the straight and narrow but she’s got to find her first. And if working with the bad guys is the only way to get it done then that’s what she’d do. And she has to stop looking at him because she still likes him too much. She’d just have to get away, that’s all.

The HOT team swoops to save Victoria when she’s in a tight spot and convince her to work with them, Victoria’s loyalty and single-mindedness make her agree to help provisionally and she extracts a promise that they’d help with her sister. She starts by helping Nick infiltrate the organization she works with and they’re sent on a mission in record time meanwhile HOT restarts the mole hunt.
Rating:4.25stars

During a mission to take out an out of control arms dealer, HOT sniper, widower Jack ‘Hawk’ Hunter sees his wife’s favorite pop singing star, Gina Domenico, being victimized by the arms dealer’s henchmen and is compelled to help her. Despite orders, Jack snipes the dealer, his henchmen and his buyers and barely escapes dragging Gina along to safety until the HOT team can rescue them.

Jack and Gina are talkative, friendly and frisky but ultimately want different things in life and part when the team arrives three days later. Three years later Jack is the best chance Gina’s son Eli has to survive his kidnapping. As Jack agrees to help any way he can and tries to convince Gina to involve the FBI, she confesses, Eli is their son together and not an orphan she adopted as she’s pretended.

The synopsis reveals a huge plot twist to the reader before Gina’s introduced but it doesn’t give the twisted and emotional journey these parents take on multiple levels or the puppet master that devised this insidious plan among other things. Givens such as the quiet combat between Jack and Gina as the team arrives in full force to help one of their own add more than wallpaper to the story.
Rating:4stars

HOT agent Kevin ‘Big Mac’ MacDonald had his eye on Lucinda ‘Lucky’ San Ramos the day she was assigned to their unit. When she fell into the clutches of a sociopathic terrorist they were after, their relationship changed but their feelings did not. What Lucky needed, Mac thought he could provide and let go. She fell into the arms of his best friend.

Six months later things have changed again, the attraction still lives, Lucky’s a widow, the sociopath isn’t dead and is regaining power. To stop him HOT needs Lucky. She’s the only one that can identify him. The plan is Kev’s assignment is to protect by pretending to be her husband as the team goes undercover to locate and derail the terrorist’s plans.

For my taste, this outing is best to date. The characters are more fleshed with a meatier plot and the read doesn’t feel as rushed. Lucky was independent with strong moments and dialog without being coy. For his part, Kev had to deal with a hugely universal and hugely unspoken taboo. Airing this piece of dirty laundry was telling for both characters in this second chance/forbidden romance tale.

The villain was also quite good here. His presence was on the page even when he wasn’t. That gave him the impression of being in the read more than he actually was in this fast paced action read. Though each outing can be read as a stand-alone, reading them in order lets you see relationships and friendships build.
Rating:3.75stars

Last Christmas all Olivia Reese wanted was what she had, HOT computer expert, Billy ‘The Kid’ Blake. But she gave him an ultimatum and answered it herself. A year later Liv is accidently brought into a scheme that can cost soldier’s lives and thinks Billy might be able to help prevent that. This enjoyable mind mint of a series has fast paced action, sexy alphas and enough story to keep it interesting, with no heavy lifting.
Rating:4stars

Worried about one of her more determined student’s, Dr. Georgeann Hayes’ tries to smooth the path for his return to class but soon finds herself in danger. Even though Sam “Knight Rider” McKnight ignored Georgie’s ‘tween crush and rebuffed her when she was 18, now that she’s a 30 year old woman with a problem, no way is he leaving her side. He’ll be there if she needs him.

While touted as suspense isn’t the primary thread, though a tad does exist here, it’s primarily a smexy, romantic quickie that can be read in one sitting (Unless a couple of passages are read repeatedly), that also contains a bit of action.
Rating: 3.5stars